Folding display stand



May 5, 1931. M. G. WERME 1,803,742

FOLDING DI SPLAY STAND Filed Oct. 51, 1928 v izlc/Fer 6 zrme.

@ Way:

Patented May 5, 1931 i UNITED srA Tris;

PATENT Mice A MELCI-IER G; WERME, OE wono srER, MASSACHUSETTS, .Assrenon T WICKMI-RE SPENCER STEEL COMPANY, OFNEWYORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION E DELAWARE FOLDING DISPLAY STAND Application filed October a1, 1928. Serial in. 316,187.

that it maybe conveniently folded to relatively small compass when not in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rack which may be cheaply manufactored and easily assembled and which may be shifted from open to closed position or vice versa With a very slight expenditure of time and labor.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the apoended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings in which E V Fig. 1 is a perspective View of my improved display rack;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the stand p r when 111 operatlve position, I have provlded folded; and

I Figs. 4 and 5 are end views of detail parts Referring to the drawings, my improved display stand comprises a pair of rigid slde members, each side member havlng end posts or uprights and 11, andupper and lower side bars 12 and 13, all firmly secured together preferably by electric welding. Arched braces 14: are welded at their lower ends to the end posts 10 and 11 and at their I middle portions to the lower side bars 13.

The two side members are preferably identical in construction.

Spacing members 15 (Fig. 5) are provided, each spacing member having an eye 16 at one end and a hook 17 at the opposite end. The eyes 16 are closed around the upper and lower side bars 12 and 13 of one my improved display stand, these shelves being identical and each being formed of.

two members 20 and 21. The member. 20 of each shelf comprises longitudinal rods 22 and 23 and cross rods 24, all of these parts being preferably welded together. i

The cross rods 24; have eyes 25 (Fig. 1)

at one end, adapted to be closed around one of the upperside bars 12 previously described,

so that the upper shelf member 20 -swin s freelyaloout one of the side bars 12, while M the corresponding member 20 of the lower shelf swings freely. about one of the lower side bars 1 Each shelf member 21 also comprises longitudinally extending rods and cross rods v32. The rods 32 have eyes 33 at their lower ends, closed around the longitudinalrod 23 of the associated shelf 'member 20. At their up-perends, the cross rods 32 have eyes 34; closed'around one of the side bars 12 or'13. As previously stated, the upper. or lower shelves are practically identical in construction.

In order to prevent swaying of the stand sway braces 1O, each of which is provided with an eye at its uppero end, closed around the longitudinal rod 23 of the upper shelf member 20. V V

The lower end of each sway brace is ofiset laterally and bent in a horizontal place to form an eye 41, loosely slidable on the lower portions of the end posts 10 and 11.

As the parts of the stand are moved from the position shown in Fig. 3 tothat shown in Fig.2, the upper and lower shelves are opened out to operative position and the longitudinally extendingrods 23 thereof are correspondingly moved upward, the upper rod 23 sliding the eyes 41 of the sway bracesAO upward along. the end posts 10 and '11.

As the parts of the stand reach their full open position, the eyes 41 are drawn snugly against the lOWenSide bars'13, preventing further upward movement thereofand adapting them to firmly resist swaying movement of the stand in either direction. Whenthe stand is opened up, it is'rnerely necessary to snap" the spacing members or hooks 15 intoposition and the stand is then ready for use and will firmly support any package goods or other articles placed thereon.

hen the stand is to be folded, it is only necessary to disconnect the spacing members 15 and swing them about their :pivot rods 12 and 13 to a depending position along side the end posts 10 and 11. The side members may then be pushed directly toward each other, collapsing the stand as shown in Fig. 3.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is 1. A folding display stand comprising rigid side members, upper and lower shelves each formed in two parts, said parts being permanently hinged together along adjacent side edges and being permanently hinged along their opposite outer edges to said side members, detachable spacing members effective, when operatively connected, to hold said side members at a predetermined distance apart and when disconnected permitting a direct movement of approach of said side members toward each other, and means to prevent upward movement of the hinged center portions of sand shelves when m operative position.

2. A folding display stand comprising rigid'side members, upper and lower shelves each formed in two parts, said parts being hinged together and to said side members, spacing members effective, when operatively connected, to'hold said side members at a predetermined distance-apart, and sway braces connecting the center hinged portion of said upper shelf to the lower parts of said side members.

3. A folding display stand comprising rigid side members, upperand lower shelves each formed in two parts, said parts being hinged together and to said side members, spacing memberseifective, when operatively connected, to hold said side members at a predetermined distance apart, and sway braces connecting said upper shelf to the lower part of said side members, the lower ends of said sway braces being vertically slidable on said side members and said side membershaving means thereon to limit upward vertical movement of said sway brace ends.

t. A folding display stand comprising rigid side members each having end posts and upper and lower side bars, shelves each formed in two parts, one of said parts being permanently hinged at one edge to one of said side bars and having a longitudinally extended rodat its opposite edge, the other part being permanently hinged at one edge to the corresponding side bar of the other side member and being permanently hinged at its opposite edge to said longitudinally extended rod, detachable means to hold said side members in spaced relation, and means to revent swaying of said stand, said side mem ers being foldable by a movement directly to- Ward each other when said holding means is detached, and said shelves remaining connected to both side members during such folding movement.

5. The combination in a folding display stand as set forth in claim 4, in which said means to prevent swaying comprises braces pivoted at their upper ends to said longitudinally extended rod and having offset horizontally disposed eyes at their lower ends slidable on said side members below the lower side bars thereof.

'6. The combination in a folding display stand as set forth in claim 4:, in which said means to prevent swaying comprises braces pivoted at their upper ends to said longitudinally extended rod and having offset horizontally disposed eyes at their lower ends slidable on said side members below the lower side bars thereof, said sway braces being of such length that they engage said side bars and are limited in upward movement thereby when said stand is opened to operative position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

lwIELCHER G. VVERME. 

